Def Leppard / Dio's Vivian Campbell Plays His Favorite Riffs 

Dio blew it when he (or Wendi) fired Vivian Campbell. Vivian was such an important component of the band. Dio was never the same without him and record sales showed.

Vivian’s contribution to Dio is absolutely legendary! His respect for Steve Clarke is immensely admirable!

Vivian Campbell and Jake E Lee were two of my favorite guitar players back in the day. They're both underrated and not talked about enough

Those first 2 DIO albums.... my god, when they came out they gave me so much joy and satisfaction... such incredible riffing and lead, from this guitar player most of us had never heard of!

Vivian is just a class act all the way around. So sad that so few people even know who he is. :-(

This was too short. I like how respectful Vivian is towards Steve.

Eddie,Randy,Vivian,George and Jake. What a time to be alive.

Vivian definitely has one of the most impressive solos I've ever heard on "Rainbow in the Dark"

Vivian Campbell is one of the nicest guys in rocknroll! Killer player too. One of the greats!

This guy is part of 80's metal blue blood and nevertheless so humble paying tribute to the genius Steve Clark. 🤘👏👏👏

Steve Clark is to Def Leppard as Cliff Burton is to Metallica. Influencing from beyond.

Viv was in Whitesnake too, I would’ve liked to hear about his time in Whitesnake. Gods of War is so underrated, definitely my favorite Def Lep song Rest In Peace Steve, your a legend!

Damn, I´ve been listening to this guy´s guitar for over 35 years! Much respect!

There were four guitarists in the 80's that I always gravitated towards in my music listening world...Vivian Campbell, Warren De Martini, Jake E. Lee and George Lynch. I can't play guitar and I don't know if they are the best at their craft...but I knew what I liked...and they were the four.

Those Dios records were freakin MASSIVE!!!! Sick ass guitar playing. Insane. Love it and still do

He wins the cancer! GOD Bless you Vivian Campbell, Def leppard, great band!

Nice to hear Viv give props to Steve Clark. Steve was truly the backbone to Leppards song writing

I met Vivian. Dio was in town and Campbell was judging a local gutair contest at a pub. It was sold out that night so they seated us around the edge of the dance floor. And I was seated directly beneath VC! So I stood up and spook to him. The most humble genous one could ever expect to know.

I got chills when he played the Last In Line clean intro! DIO is the best ever and no one can top it!

Vivians solo in "Paper Sun" is one of the most memorable solos in all of Leppards songs. Just fantastic.

Viv is one of the greats in our opinion. #Irish☘️

What a gentleman! Super under rated Irish rock guitarist.

vivian was the next eddie van halen and Randy Rhodes, him and george lynch were my influence, i'm sure in def there is a muzzle on him and he can't let loose like he was in dio, he was wild in dio

Two of my favorite guitarists as a kid were Viv and Steve... Couldn't have been a better guy to step into that situation. Such a humble and extremely talented guy.

Vivian is a monster player, cleanest hammer on, pull-off player there is. Super humble guy.

Highly underrated legend! Responsible for some of the best stuff in hard rock history.

Vivian inspires me to want to play the guitar 🎸 unfortunately I’m 54, a woman and my Son says I’m too old to learn now. However, Vivian sends a shiver down my spine. ❤

When Dio came out with his first solo album with Vivian it was a great day in metal..

That is really cool that Epiphone has recognized Vivian Campbell with his own guitar.

Great!!! Respect for Steve Clark

I always love hearing musicians make mistakes on their own songs.. ..keeps them human.... very humble guy.. cheers and thanks

Vivian Campbell is truly one of rocks great players and an influence.. Riverdogs album rocks...

Gods of War is such an underrated track

Cool how he gives respect to Steve. I always thought Steve Clark was a very important part of Leppards creative process and sound. First concert I saw was Pyromania tour

Vivian is such a wonderfully warm yet fiercely talented individual. Great to see you!

MUCH RESPECT, Vivian Campbell, one of THE BEST Guitar Players in the World!!

Ah, the Def Leppard guy with the shirt! ))) Brilliant!

Worked with Vivian when he was repping Jackson back in the late 80's at our music store. He was and still is an amazing person and guitarist.

Out of all the guitar gods of my youth, this man alone was the reason I busted my parents chops to buy me my first guitar. Love you Viv, thanks for everything brother

His tone on the first three Dio albums, along with Appice's drum sound, really made those records. I love all the Dio albums, but something wasn't the same without that winning original team

His playing on the early Dio stuff was a massive influence on me picking up guitar. Trying to learn the Rainbow in the Dark solo (among many others) kicked my ass but I learned so much from it. What a player! Him, Gary Moore and Rory were the Irish triumvirate of guitar excellence

Viv..... He will always be the man!!! Metal forever!

I always dug his work back in the day. Never knew he was Irish, very cool! Looks like a classy fellow. Rock on Vivian, thanks for the killer work!!

I remember him playing one Friday nite with Sweet Savage and the next afternoon in Slane Castle , Ireland . The band even remembered myself and my friends from chatting to them the previous night whereby we asked them to dedicate a song to us during the Slane gig and they kept their promise and did so . Super bunch of guys.

Don’t forget to give Vivian a nod for his Thin Lizzy contribution with Scott Gorham.

To this very day Vivian’s playing with Dio gets to me. I play it periodically at work to get me pumped up for the day. Great player. 🤘🏼😎👍🏼

Loved hearing Viv explain their writing process. Always thought the intro to "last in line" was a beautiful little theme...written in his mom's kitchen. 👍 👊

Can’t count the endless hours locked in my room learning (butchering) Dio songs.... Opening bars of Holy Diver are still one of my Top 5 fav riffs.... I spent months scraping pennies together to buy a Kramer Nightswan in 1988. Thanks for the great music and inspiration Vivian!!! \m/, ,\m/

The guitar solo for Last in Line is one of the BEST ever.

Man, those harmonics he's hitting in Gods of War sound incredible!

Dude wasnt old enough to legally drink when he cut holy diver...he is an amazing dude

The level of chemistry and energy among the DIO band members in first few albums were unfucking believable. Every song on holy diver, last in line, and sacred heart can eat your heart out \m/

Didn't know after all these years Vivian still has his Irish accent ..guys,a legend..his solos are Jimmy page epic..

Vivian Campbell... a pure beast axe master. He and Vinnie Appice were a one of a kind combo in the Dio days

I can never seem to get enough of REAL musicians like this; their professionalism, knowledge, talent, and humbleness. Nothing like the garbage on the airwaves today. Please send me back in time and let me get stuck!

Saw Def Leppard and Vivian in Orlando, FL this week. The Boys absolutely nailed it! 🇬🇧👊

that epiphone cranks with those rails. glad to see the fellas backing some entry level guitar makers. epiphone has a whole new line this year.

I was stationed at Schofield Barracks on Oahu in 1984 . I was twenty and newlywed. Took my wife to her first concert. Dio and Dokken. Got to see two of my favorite vocalists, especially Ronnie, and two of my favorite guitarists. Not only that Jimmy Bain, Jeff Pilson, Mick Brown and Vinnie Appice. Somebody invent a time machine now.

A extremely humble man. In this way Vivian is very much like the genius he filled the shoes of, the iconic real engine room, and genius Steve' The Riffmaster' Clark. Two very different players.Steve created magic, his way of constructing guitar chord construction, melodies, riffs, hooks, bends, was simply way ahead of the curve. Mutt mined the gold but you had to have the gold, Steve was the gold. And of course he was also a genuine rock star who oozed cool, strapped low, thin as Sid was, he owned the stage. There is no doubt Steve and Pete played beautifully together, while Steve also had a special chemistry with Phil, best mates, Collen to this day has said there is not a single day he does not think of Steve. This insight about the brilliant genius from Vivian for me, and I'll bet hundreds of millions, is a delight and again it shows just how humble he is, and his deep respect for a man who Viv has said "every night we play 90 per cent of what Steve created". Vivian's playing of Leppard's songs, Steve's parts is obviously very different, I love the sharpness, the crispness and bite Vivian gets when he does 'The Riffmasters' parts and if you watch Vivian playing GOW, TL4L but two examples, one can see him bleeding through with emotion. My subjective opinion is Viv plays Collen, technical as he is, off a short break. 'Rainbow in the dark' which I put the link below shows just what a young tear away fucking beast Viv was back then, sadly for me Collen has taken Steve's parts, many of them in the set list, the opening to 'Photograph' I greedily have always been of the view should be Viv's opening and ride out, although no Kahler Vivian could play these parts, but it is what is is. To see he is cancer free now is also great, and I hope he has at least another decade in front of him. 20:20 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-LmSt1oEIshE.html

The Last in line solo, in my opinion is the most well crafted, moving solo in any song I've ever heard

Still one of my all time favorite guitarists - born to play

Not many musicians as cool as Vivian! Love this dude, and everything he has ever done! ❤️

I have the upmost respect and love for him. He was never given the credit he deserved. An amazing guitarist and man.

This is so amazing. He is such a gifted guitar player and a nice guy. The respect he shows for Steve is so awesome. Vivian had such big shoes to fill, but he did it with class and respect. Couldn't ask for a better person to join Def Leppard! Miss Steve and love Vivian.

Last in line ,will always be my favorite Cambell solo..

I love Viv's playing. His Dio stuff was a huge influence myself as a player. I want one of those Epi's too. :-D

Ronnie surrounded himself with genuinely nice people who were his greatest friends. The world misses his voice and his undeniable kindness. Thanks Viv.

Vivian is the reason I picked up the guitar...saw him with Dio at The Spectrum in Philly....1984

Every Rock guitarist should study Vivian Campbell riff's ....masterpiece of rock.

Vivian + Epiphone = Badass..

Such a great musician and always seems like such a genuine great dude

All of the Leppard guys are so well spoken/down to earth. Every interview I've seen is informative and very interesting. Better late than never to the RNRHOF! Well deserved!

Well...he seems VERY happy talking and remembering his Dio era!

Holy Diver and The Last In Line has some of the best guitar work you'll ever hear.

Wow! This really surprised me. The accurateness, tempo, cleanliness of his playing and how easy he makes It seem. A real pro!

Vivian Campbell has is own style and sound..One of the greatest guitarest from the 80's.

Dio is Amazing!

A TRUE underated guitar player

No words.... Just too f""king cool for me to Yap... Thankyou Vivian ! And most Excellent of you to throw some love to Steve. GODBLESS ~ ZACK DANIELS ~

Vivian is an icon and his work with Dio will be eternal.

My favorite and very underrated guitarist.

Underrated guitarist.

Hes a great man and a fine player; his work with Dio was and still is top notch!

badass combo would be Vivian Campbell and Jason Newsted composing tunes together...omfg

What a legend, love the positive energy

Vivian Campbell is one Awesome Guitar Player !!! Loved him with DIO, love him with Def Leppard !!! Steve Clark never be replaced but couldn't have been a better replacement than Vivian !!!

I was in absolute ahhh, the very first time that I heard Vivian, and from that day I knew he would accomplish great things as a musician. Also trade mark guitar licks and solo's. So glad that he's from my time line.

Love how he starts getting excited while describing the Dio riffs.

“Heaven and Hell” live in Spectrum man. His solo is one of the most satisfying thing I have ever seen

RIP Steve.He was the Jimmy page of DL period

Viv is so very humble and kind, absolutely love him! :)

I've always loved Vivian and his playing when he got in def I was like well deserved. They needed a great guitar player and he needed a great band.

Very respectful to the late, great Steve Clark and respect to you for that, sir...

Love his respect for Clarke. A real gentleman.

When I seen Dio for the first time when Vivian was playing ... His solos was so crisp.. and how he snapped his strings to make that sound .. Best in my book .. Also a fan of Glen Tipton .. Back in the early 80's they were the two players I couldn't wait to go see.

Vivian's dio live-solo sections are epic.

If you haven’t heard it for a while I highly recommend revisiting We Rock. WHAT A SONG!

Love the way he starts off the interview, since in my case "Rainbow in the Dark" was the song that made me want to pick up the guitar the first time I heard (saw) the solo on Mtv. \m/

Such an awesome and humble guitar player/person

Saw Viv w/ Last In Line few months back...just awesome!! A world class guitar player & true class man!